Unvaccinated people can continue attending private worship in groups of 5 from Feb 1

SINGAPORE: Unvaccinated individuals can continue attending private worship from Feb 1, when vaccination-differentiated safe management measures (VDS) are expanded to congregational and other worship services. 

One group of up to 5 people will be allowed to conduct a private session at any one time in a place of worship, regardless of their vaccination status, under the updated guidelines for religious activities published by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the Crisis Preparedness for Religious Organisations on Tuesday (Jan 25).

This is in line with the prevailing permissible group size of up to 5 people. 

These private worshippers must be masked at all times. They may also interact with a religious worker who is fully vaccinated, with at least 1m safe distancing between the group and the religious worker. 

There should be no mingling between the private worship group and the people involved in worship services and other religious activities, which are subject to VDS. 

CONGREGATIONAL AND WORSHIP SERVICES 

From next month, only fully vaccinated worshippers, religious and supporting workers can attend congregational and worship services. 

The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Dec 14 last year that all events, regardless of size, must implement VDS from February. 

Congregational and other worship services at places of worship may cater up to 1,000 worshippers at a time, subject to safe management measures. 

Worshippers have to be segregated into zones of no more than 100 worshippers each. 

There should be no intermingling between zones, and worshippers should be seated in groups of no more than 5 people with a 1m safe distancing between each group. 

Unvaccinated children who are 12 years old and below may be exempted from VDS and can be included in a group of up to 5 people for congregational and worship services - as long as all the children in the group are from the same household. 

UNMASKED PERFORMERS MUST OBTAIN NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST

Another key change from Feb 1 requires all unmasked performers who are singing and/or playing wind instruments in congregational or worship services to obtain a negative COVID-19 test result. 

They can get this either through an MOH-approved test provider or a self-administered test. The self-administered test must be supervised onsite or virtually by the religious organisation's live performance organiser. 

The religious organisation is required to keep records of unmasked performers and their antigen rapid test (ART) results. 

A maximum of 20 people who are involved in the conduct of the worship service can be unmasked at any given time. This capacity includes the performers. 

From Feb 1, religious rites will also be limited to 50 worshippers at any given time, in groups of up to five people. This is an increase from the current capacity of five worshippers at any given time. 

Religious classes can be held for up to 50 people, including teachers and support staff, without VDS. Other religious activities are subject to VDS.